The summer solstice, also known as Litha, is a special time for Wiccans and other pagan traditions. It marks the longest day of the year, where the power of the sun is at its peak. To honor this occasion, many Wiccans celebrate with rituals, gatherings, and feasts. One important aspect of these celebrations is the food that is prepared. **Wiccan recipes for summer solstice** often incorporate seasonal ingredients and have a focus on freshness and abundance. **One popular dish** that is often prepared for Litha is a summer salad.
**One popular dish** that is often prepared for Litha is a summer salad. This can include a variety of fresh vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. To add an element of magic, some Wiccans may add edible flowers such as nasturtiums or pansies.
Wiccan recipes for summer solstice
Summer Solstice Fantasy Feast
It’s here!! Nearly in the final hour!! Have been wicked busy but still dedicated to fulfilling my self imposed duty this year to upgrade all of my 2016 fantasy feasts. It brings me joy each year seeing people reblog my old feasts especially as those posts did help me to visualize and manifest incredible magical celebrations with friends. However as time goes on my standards unfortunately get higher and my tastes more elaborate so I felt it was time to redo my Summer Solstice vision. I hope this post with included recipes below get you in a hot summery mood!
In the read more there are the recipe links and additional explanations on personal symbolism and of course the image credits! I also always plan my feasts to be vegan inclusive for those with dietary restrictions but also aim for all the food to be somewhat local which matters in these seasonal feasts since it’s celebrating local nature. Anyway there is something for everyone here.
1: Starters
The ideal Summer Solstice feast to me is a mad fiery pagan bonfire bbq. If we are talking about a celebration honoring the fiery sun, summertime and food, my mind goes to a grill. However most BBQs can end up getting heavy quickly. Therefore the starters are a bit light. There will be charred vegetable skewers, steamed seafood, shrimp cocktail and jalapeno poppers. Honorable mention would be blistered padron peppers.
Garlic Herb roasted Shrimp with homemade Cocktail sauce recipe
Balsamic Grilled Veggie Skewers Recipe
Seafood image Source
(I would ideally want to serve just steamed seafood. The image is from a Paella recipe which is very summery but Paella is definitely a main dish and not a starter).
2: Sides
The bread choice for this feast will be focaccia with sundried tomatoes and garden herbs. Other dishes will be charred bell peppers, and a refreshing cucumber tomato salad.
3: Mains
The grill would provide a selection of food, but the main feature would be marinated barbeque ribs. The plant based option would be stuffed grilled bell peppers with smoked paprika.
Stuffed Bell Peppers image source (there’s no vegan recipes online that I find satisfying so I would prepare this with sautéed pinto beans with red onions in tomato sauce, smoked paprika, coriander and topped with a dash of chili flakes and oat crème fraiche).
Marinated Ribs Source (Beer-b-q ribs recipe)
4: Desserts
Summer is the fruity season!! We start to see more fruits in season towards the Summer crossquarter harvest, yet Summer Solstice sees strawberries and in some regions melons start to ripen. Other fruits I associate with this sabbat are light citrus flavors from Lemon, Grapefruit and Lime. Also since I was raised in NJ a regional summery treat we have are orange creamsicles. It’s a dreamy creamy citrus delight and has a special place in my heart so I feel like since it evokes summer so well for me it deserves a spot here.
For each sabbat dessert I have a tart of choice, a cake of choice and a special dish. The tart for Summer Solstice is torn between a fresh strawberry tart and a lemon meringue, but I would ultimately choose a lemon meringue tart with flamed mallow topping. The cake would be strawberry shortcake, and the special dessert would be an icecream cake (could change flavors per year but would mostly be orange creamsicle). Alternatives provided would be ice cream cookies as they are easy to make with vegan options/dietary restrictions and in different variety of flavors to suit peoples pallets. Also if you are in a region where it’s available, definitely a watermelon fruit salad. Watermelon was such a big part of summer in NJ but in England its like out of region so it’s mostly strawberries over here.
5: Drinks
Fruits really make their way into everything during summertime and the drink selection would reflect this. Only thing not pictured here would be an elderflower fresh mint iced tea which will be cooling and refreshing to counter act all the hot and spicy foods. Other than that of course the main non-alcoholic drink will be lemonade!
For the alcoholic selection I would love Strawberry wine, boozy melon bowls and grapefruit shandies (shoffenhofer tastes like summer on tap it will change your life). The spirit of choice will be tequila. Something about tequila is so fiery, summery and solar. I would make spicy mezcal sunset margaritas and flamed tequila shots.
6: Treats
Final part!! You can tell I am a very sensory person and one thing that made celebrations and holidays memorable as a kid were always the treats you walked away with. The little candies, snacks and tokens. If I were to have a celebration with a whole community including kids I would include some of these. Summery sweets for me were salt water taffy, fruity gummies (especially shark gummies), sticky sun drops on paper and fruity candies with melon, strawberry and citrus flavors. For savory options I would love spicy and smoky treats from fiery chili chips to smoked paprika crisps.
If you made it this far thank you so much for reading it all!! Hope I put you on a visual sensory experience for the summer. I would love to hear what dishes and foods you associate with the summer solstice or summer time in general.
You can check my litha tag for more ideas or my correspondence list for why I associate certain things with this time of year.
The name Litha is believed to derive from an ancient Germanic term which corresponds to the Summer months on the Germanic calendar. But nearly every ancient culture honored the Summer Solstice or Summer season in one way or another. One tradition is fairly consistent across cultural borders – the Summer Solstice was both a fire and water festival. Our ancestors enjoyed taking ritual baths and lighting large, raging-for-days bonfires. The fire and water elements in this sabbat demonstrate the clear importance of purification. Now…onto the food!
These flowers can symbolize the energy and vitality of the sun, bringing brightness and color to the dish. Dressings made with herbs like dill or basil can add a flavorful and refreshing touch. **Another favorite recipe** for summer solstice is fruit salad. As the sun is seen as a symbol of life and energy, incorporating vibrant and juicy fruits can be a way to honor this element. Some popular fruits for Wiccan fruit salad recipes include berries, oranges, melons, and kiwis. Cutting the fruits into symbolic shapes, such as suns or crescent moons, can add an extra touch of magic and intention to the dish. **Grilling is also a common cooking method** during Litha celebrations. Wiccans may grill vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, and corn, embracing the abundance of the season. Grilling can also be a way to connect with the fire element, as the flames transform the raw ingredients into delicious and nourishing food. **When it comes to dessert**, Wiccan recipes for summer solstice often feature dishes that are light and refreshing. Lemon bars, for example, offer a tangy and zesty flavor that can be reminiscent of the sun's energy. Other desserts may incorporate seasonal fruits such as peaches or cherries, providing a sweet and juicy treat to end the feast. **In conclusion**, Wiccan recipes for summer solstice embrace the abundance and vitality of the season. Whether it's through fresh salads, grilled vegetables, juicy fruits, or light desserts, these recipes can be a way to honor the sun and celebrate the longest day of the year. By using seasonal ingredients and infusing them with intention and magic, Wiccans can create delicious and meaningful dishes to share with loved ones during this special time..
Reviews for "Immerse Yourself in Wiccan Culinary Traditions on the Summer Solstice"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to try out some new recipes for the summer solstice, but I was utterly disappointed with this book. The recipes lacked creativity and were very basic; I could have easily found them on any online cooking website. I was expecting unique, magical dishes that would enhance my celebration, but instead, I got generic recipes with a few mentions of traditional Wiccan ingredients. It felt like the author just copied and pasted random recipes into this book without putting much thought or effort into making them special.
2. Mark - 1 star - As someone who follows a Wiccan lifestyle, I was looking forward to finding recipes that reflect the spirituality and symbolism of the summer solstice. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark completely. The recipes were nothing more than regular dishes with a Wiccan ingredient thrown in here and there. There was no story or explanation behind the recipes, no connection to the solstice celebration. It felt like a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the Wiccan trend without offering anything meaningful to the readers. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a genuine Wiccan culinary experience.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I found this book to be quite underwhelming. The recipes were lackluster, and I didn't feel any sense of magic or spirituality in them. The author seemed to rush through the process of writing this book, as the instructions were poorly written and confusing at times. Additionally, the book lacked any vibrant food photography, which could have added some excitement and visual appeal. Overall, I was disappointed with this collection of recipes and would not recommend it to fellow Wiccans or anyone looking for a truly magical culinary experience.
4. John - 1 star - I was expecting to find a selection of unique and innovative recipes to celebrate the summer solstice, but this book felt like a complete letdown. The recipes were uninspiring and seemed like generic dishes with a Wiccan twist slapped onto them. I didn't feel any sense of magic or spirituality within the pages, and it left me questioning the purpose of this book. The lack of creativity and originality was a major letdown, and I would advise others to look elsewhere for genuinely magical and celebratory recipes for the summer solstice.